Lack of skills 'costing north-east food firms'

Lack of skills 'costing north-east food firms'

24.7.2008

A lack of skills is costing food manufacturing firms in the north-east of England, according to a new report.

The National Skills Academy (NSA) has revealed that only 16 per cent of the companies it polled recently said they planned to invest in the staff they currently employ over the course of the coming year.

Formal qualifications were offered in only ten of the 187 cases assessed by the NSA and the lack of skills development means most food sector businesses in the north-east are failing to make the most of the resources they have access to, Personnel Today reports.

This could mean online recruitment is more of a priority for these companies but the NSA is keen to see skills training become more of a feature of working environments in the north-east.

Justine Fosh, director of the NSA for food and drink manufacturing, said: "The region suffers more skills shortages in its food and drink industry than anywhere else in the UK and this is costing the industry money."

The NSA maintains that raising skills is "essential to wealth creation" and to creating job opportunities for the entire British population.

webrecruit – leaders in fixed fee internet recruitment